This page is simply a collection of tips for cooking that I learned through experience.  I wanted to add them here and keep it separate from the site simply to be a quick reference if needed or an “I didn’t know that” moment.

Use a Meat Thermometer

I speak from experience on this, as I’ve ended up with overcooked and undercooked meat.  I’ve had chicken that’s been too dry or too chewy, and even a brisket that was wondrous in the thick area, but rubber near the end.

I’m usually a “well-done” kind of guy, but I’ve learned from a few trips to a few steakhouses that pink isn’t a bad thing.  So I bought a meat thermometer.  You can get one for as little as a few dollars or as much as $20.  Simply stab it into the deepest part of the meat and check the temperature.  Many meat recipes call for the meat to be a certain temperature, and I’ve learned to take that to heart.

Unless you’re just that good of a cook that you can eyeball meat and know it’s done, buy the thermometer.  Would you rather ruin $10-$20 worth of good meat for pride?

Shortcuts Are Not a Bad Thing

We’ve all seen these new generations of cooking shows where the host is creating meals with packaged foods.  It could be bags of frozen vegetables or box cartons of stock (broth).  I know chefs would scoff at the idea of shortcuts, but I’m not a chef, nor as the hosts on those shows, and I bet many of you out there are in the same boat.

Like I said in the About section, the biggest judge of your food is your palette.  Chefs make a living out of making homemade meals, so they’re required to cut and cook those vegetables and make their own stock.  You have a normal job and a life.  So if you see a place where using a bottle of some sauce or some packaged ingredient will make your life easier and still taste good to you, go for it.  There’s no shame in it.

Follow Your Taste Buds Over the Recipe

I’ve learned in life that recipes are a guideline to making a meal, not the be-all-end-all.  When it comes to baking you want to follow the recipe to the letter, because it is an exact science, but with cooking you’re not as restrained.

If you think the food isn’t spicy enough, or too spicy, or you want some other ingredients added, do it.  If you like the result, then bravo!  There isn’t a right or wrong in this.  Take the guideline and make it your own.

Build Your Own Recipe Book

Pretty much all of the food I make started off as recipes from other web sites, magazines, and books I’ve encountered.  While I’ve made alterations and variations that make them into my own, I still save them as my guideline.  You should do the same.  Whether you get a recipe off my site here or another site, if you enjoy it enough that you’ll do it over and over, print it up and save it.  Either the typical box of recipe cards, or even as my lovely lady helped me do…your own Culinaria book.

This Site is Mobile

Most of the time now when I’m trying out a recipe, I’ll have my iPhone open next to me (and trying not to get anything on it).  It’s just easier at times until I know this is something I’ll print and put into my recipe book.

I’ve added the plugin to make this site appear nice and clean on a mobile device, so take advantage of it.

Use Wooden Utensils

Seems like most cookware you see in the stores comes in the non-stick variety, but we’ve heard to death about the dangers of Teflon scraping off those pans and into your food.  The easiest solution is to use wooden utensils when you cook.  Turn on any cooking show and you’ll notice they’re always using wooden spoons, spatulas, etc.  They’re inexpensive and work much better than metal or especially those plastic coated utensils.  If you get pans and cookware that doesn’t have the Teflon, then good for you, but wooden utensils will keep scratches from happening as well.

Have your ingredients ready BEFORE you start cooking

I’m notorious for this (and still am).  I’ll chop up that onion I need to start a recipe with, toss it in the pot with oil and figure I’ll have the rest chopped and ready by the time the onion is cooked.  Suddenly I’ll be 1/3 into the work and my onion is done and I need to add the rest in a panic.

Best practice (and I try to follow this advice as well) is to chop it all up, put it in bowls, dishes, whatever BEFORE you turn the heat on and get the cooking happening.  Things get a lot easier when you’re not frantically looking for something or getting something ready to go into the recipe.

Stuff happens though.  If you mess up, just turn off the heat, get the ingredient ready, add it in, turn the heat back on, and carry on.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS